It is desirable to hermetically seal electronic components (e.g., liquid metal micro-switches) in a format that is as small as possible in order to increase component and system reliability. Having as small a form factor as possible typically increases high frequency performance by reducing the parasitic capacitances and inductances in a system""s circuitry. However, hermetically sealing small components has been difficult.
One aspect of the invention is embodied in a method for producing a plurality of hermetically sealed electronic components. The method comprises wafer bonding first and second substrates to enclose a plurality of electronic components therebetween. The first substrate is then cut to expose first seals on the first substrate and second seals on the second substrate. The first and second seals define perimeters around the plurality of electronic components. After cutting the first substrate, solder is dispensed into the cuts. The solder is then reflowed to join corresponding pairs of first and second seals.
Other embodiments of the invention are also disclosed.